Om Prakash Rajbhar claims Modi said Uttar Pradesh could be split into four states
Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party chief Om Prakash Rajbhar has revived the political debate over dividing Uttar Pradesh into multiple states.
Speaking at an SBSP rally in Deoria, Rajbhar claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had assured him that Uttar Pradesh could be divided into four states after a caste census.
Rajbhar also connected the issue with the demand for 27% reservation and suggested that the creation of a separate Purvanchal state could open the possibility of a Rajbhar becoming its chief minister.
The proposal to divide Uttar Pradesh has been discussed for years. Former Chief Minister Mayawati had earlier advocated splitting the state into regions including Purvanchal, Bundelkhand, Avadh Pradesh and Paschim Pradesh.
Rajbhar’s latest remarks have brought the issue back into political discussion ahead of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections scheduled for 2027. His party is currently an ally of the BJP in the state.